Sunday, June 01, 2014

Home From a Glorious Trip Home (Part Two)

My mother's birdwatching me watching her

Monday was our first day of not doing much because Larry had
come home very late the night before. Or
should I say super early the morning of Monday.
Either way, we knew sleeping late and naps were on our collective
horizon.

We went out for Chinese that night and came home with enough
leftovers for the next night’s dinner, which we would need. In fact, it’s probably a good thing my mother
and I took it easy on Monday because Tuesday was busier than we could have hoped
or expected. Over dinner, Larry asked me
about our honeymoon and I eagerly shared some of the positive memories I had of
our trip, the one he so generously gave to us, the highlight of 2013.

Then he asked me, “Where would you like to go this
year?” He made a few suggestions: Nashville, Austin, San Francisco, London. Seriously, is there anything to discuss,
debate, decide? Nope. Rob and I will be going to London in
September. Late September. Oh boy! Back at the house, we talked more about
Larry’s trip, from which he had just returned, and the possible trip Rob and I
would be taking. (Okay. We hadn’t quite decided but it wouldn’t take
us long to do so.)

This is my mother's new carbut she never drove it

I actually went to bed earlier than I had been on Monday but
still late for me. And I slept later on
Tuesday than I had been on the trip. I
felt fully and well rested. I also
devoured a book. I had already finished
two books and my mother had this third one lying around so I surprised myself
with how much I read. Especially when
one considers how crazy things were on Tuesday.

My mother overslept but we were ready to head out the door
early enough. We headed over to my
mother’s friend’s home. Cathy showed us some redecorating she had done in her
home and I got to appreciate her glorious doll collection (including a
to-die-for dollhouse) and her lavish garden.
We then headed off, the three of us, to the Metropolitan Museum of
Art. My mother was eager to see an
exhibition of Buddhist statues because she had read that there would be large
statues that rarely are allowed to leave the country of origin.

Ooey gooeygrilled cheese sandwich

Except, my mother misread things and I can only assume that
we went to see the largest to leave the country of origin. Not one of the statues was especially large
and my mother was disappointed. (insert
crude joke here about how size does matter)
My mother was so determined to get us through the exhibit (because
apparently Cathy is a lollygagger when it comes to walking through museums)
that she hurried us through each room. I
barely had a chance to admire let alone appreciate anything. We then dashed to
and through the Charles James exhibit. I
was not able to enjoy it because technology got in the way of my engaging with
the gowns as flashing and scrolling videos played endlessly everywhere.

My mother rushed us through that exhibit as well so we would
have time for the gift shop. I picked up
some gift wrap (for crafting purposes) that was on sale and a book for either
my niece or granddaughter. I’m not sure
yet but one or the other will get it. If
I don’t keep it for myself. (You know,
if I keep it for myself, I don’t have to choose who gets it. I’m so clever!)

Beauty is on my shoulder =a miracle

We then hustled back to New Jersey. My mother had a workshop scheduled for that
evening which started at around 5pm which is why we dropped her off first. Cathy and I talked about how wonderful she is
until it was time to drop her off. Then
it was my turn and, when I arrived at my mother’s, I was in for a
surprise. The door was locked. I was in a quandary. I could ring the doorbell, interrupting
Larry’s yoga practice, or just sit and wait.

Lizzie was on the other side of the door, looking at me,
wondering what my problem was, why I didn’t simply come inside already. But I was loath to interrupt Larry’s
practice. So I sat and waited, but not
for long. Larry soon came to my rescue
and I was inside the house, dropping off the gift shop things before playing
with Lizzie. I read quietly for a while
and ended up fixing myself some leftovers for my dinner. When my mother came home, she and Larry ate
the rest of the leftovers. After dinner,
we all talked about family and politics and philosophy and family some
more.

A blurry picture of my mother =a bigger miracle

I started packing because I knew the next day would be my
last full day in New Jersey. When I woke
up on Wednesday, I packed up a few more things and hoped I could fit All Of The
Things I had collected. The new
shoes. The things Love gave to me from
her “free shopping” by which she means not shoplifting but sifting through the
garbage of her neighbors to see if someone threw away something she might find
useful. (This is not unusual, in some of
the better neighborhoods of NY where people will actually lay such things out
on top of the trash cans. If you are
walking by, you know this is an invitation to check out what’s not in the
can.) And I had picked up a few things
on my own, from my mother, mostly, of course, but a couple of gifts here and
there for random people.

When I arrived in New Jersey, my mother and I quickly
realized that the visit’s schedule was overflowing. On my first full day there, she was already
lamenting the lack of time we would have together. I reassured her that by the end of my visit
she might feel differently, eager to see me gone. I was mistaken; we both were lamenting the
brevity of my visit. I was already
missing her and she suggested we trade in my ticket home and use it to bring
Rob up north. But Lizzie doesn’t really
like other dogs and I think Snowdoll and Holly would have found her nice floors
too slippery.

How many pairs of hosedid I go through before I came home?

My step-sister Janice joined me for lunch. If I hadn’t already had enough of tea rooms,
my mother made us some cucumber sandwiches, served us the scones from the trip
we took with Barbara, some tea (of course), and brie and crackers. We talked about our significant others, our
reading and writing, our lives. We
talked about getting older and perimenopause and plastic surgery and
Botox. We had a wonderful visit full of
nonsense and seriousness and all the things that make visiting family
wonderful. Or wonderful if you’re fond
of your family members, anyway.

We hugged goodbye and I went downstairs and packed some
more, leaving out only the things I wanted to wear to dinner that night. And what I wanted to wear on the plane. And both outfits changed at least thrice
before I left the next day. But at least
I had no difficulty packing everything, including all of the new stuff. And I enjoyed every book I read and was
enjoying the one book I was still reading.
Three books brought with me and three read and I still had one
unfinished? Blame it on that one book of
my mother’s that was simply too good to put down.

Breakfast of champions

Dinner was at the usual Café Panache where I enjoyed the
filet mignon ravioli. It was
delicious. The wine was great. The company, the best. I am so loved.

And then it was time for me to go to bed and wake up the
next day to leave and return to my reality.
My mother woke up early enough for us to eat the last of the lemon
cake. It went by so fast and I realize
that it’s impossible for anyone to feel too loved and cherished. My mother and I have come a long way and we
appreciate every moment we have together.
She’s a treasure and I feel treasured by her. Is it too soon to want to go back for a
visit? I’m so glad to be home. If only I could be in two places at once, my
life would be perfect!

7 comments:

Your trip sounds so fantastic! Too bad you don't live closer to you mother. It sounds like the two of you have such great times together. How great it is that you are getting a trip to London! I was there a couple of years ago for a couple of days. (traveling parts of Europe in 10 days!) I was also there about 20 years ago for a longer trip. You will love it if you haven't been before!

Betty, As you may know, Rob and I had to go shopping on our last trip because one of us (Rob) forgot his jacket and cap. I told him at the end of the trip, if that ever happened again, he could go shopping without me. Yesterday I said, "I need a raincoat for travelling. He immediately said, "We can buy one there." As soon as he realized that he had suggested we go shopping, he started laughing. When I went back to my computer, I made a pinterest board for rainy weather things.

Suko, There are more things I could share and probably will in other posts. I'm hoping to have more time for writing or at least be more organized with my time so that I can make time to write as well.